Robbie Lewis and the Ladybird Book of Love
by midlands-lass
Summary: A collection of fluffy stories as and when they come to me. Robson, of course, mainly Domesticus but let's see where things take them . . .
1. Anniversaries -Part 1

**AN: In between writing longer stories, this is a place for all the bits of small fluffed up Robson stories that pop into my head on and off. They are ideas that might not turn into longer fics so as I write them I will post them here. The title is based on the rather sneering comment made by Jack Cornish in The Ramblin' Boy - when Innocent tells Cornish that Lewis didn't want to believe that Jack had done something wrong or out of character- Cornish rather ungraciously says - _"Robbie Lewis and the Ladybird Book of Policing"_. So this is my take on that notion but of course, my Ladybird Book is about Robbie Lewis and Love (and of course, we all know who that also involves . . . PS thank you all for continuing to read my fics. I appreciate each and every one of your comments!  
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Anniversaries - Part 1

Both Laura Hobson and Robbie Lewis were good at remembering times and dates. It came with the territory for Robbie. He could recall dates, times, seasons, years and even the weather on certain days. It came naturally to him but he had also honed it through years of training and working on a job that was made easier by being able to remember small details. It was the same for Laura but for her it was one of those inherent things. She didn't have to think or commit it to memory, it just seemed to lodge itself into her mind with an almost microchip efficiency.

So it was that the anniversary of them getting together was present in both their minds when the date came upon them. It was mid-June. The swifts were screaming above the towers and spires of Oxford and the gardens and river walkways were garlanded with midsummer foliage and sweet-scented summer flowers. Robbie loved this time of year. It was his birthday in June and he reveled in the long days and warm weather. It was also, almost a year to the day, that he and Laura had got together. Despite the fact that they both had discussed the upcoming anniversary, Robbie had a problem. He had absolutely no idea what to get for Laura. He tried hard to think of a gift that was special. It was difficult. She had everything she needed, he couldn't even buy her a big-ticket item, say, like an iPad or similar as she had enough money herself and if she wanted something she simply bought it. He sighed. He would just have to give her a rain check. Maybe he could take her away somewhere. A city break perhaps. He sighed again. Maybe not; Laura had done a lot of travelling on her own and been all over Europe. A city break to Paris or Rome or Venice wouldn't be the first time for her even it was for Robbie

He knew that she had something spectacular planned. In the last fortnight she had spent a lot of time on the phone, in secret. She had also slammed down the lid of her laptop several times when he had been passing and had also put a passcode on her ipad to stop him from seeing anything when he tried to use it to look up the football fixtures. Had he not cottoned on that it was to do with their anniversary he would have started to get suspicious. All he knew was it involved an old college friend who lived in London. Whatever it was she had planned it just made his problem worse.

He desperately wanted to get something special for her. _Idiot_ he thought, _you've left it all too late. _He sighed yet again and pulled a cross face at himself. He had the rest of the day to try and sort something out before picking up Laura after work. That morning when he'd kissed her goodbye he'd promised her, rather foolishly, a special evening and special gift. He had neither a gift nor anything planned.

In desperation he went into town. Maybe he could find something there. He trudged from shop to boutique to department store but to no avail. Everything he saw he doubted. She already had perfume, or rather she wore a very expensive cologne that was scented with essential oils that she maintained took away the smell of the morgue. She had a bottle or two lined up in her drawers at home so he couldn't get her that. Jewellery? He had just bought her a necklace not long ago on a whim, and although it had gone down a treat he didn't want to cop out with the obvious easy route. There was no point getting her an artisan gin either – one of her research students had already given her a bottle as a thank you for help with a project. _Bollocks_ he thought. He began to get a bit forlorn over it all – did not knowing what to get her mean he didn't know her? _Don't be daft man. _He said to himself. But even so, he was starting to get fed up. He looked at his watch. 2 hours before Laura finished. In desperation he went for a walk by one of the canals.

Walking by the water always helped him think. Even on the most difficult of cases he often had a lightbulb moment. But a solution for this particular problem didn't come this time. He sighed and, scratching his ear, paused in his tracks for a moment. Along the tow path overhung the blossoms of an elder tree. Robbie realised he'd stopped at a familiar place. He remembered with a smile a walk he and Laura had taken after work not long after they'd got together. They had just finished up a case and although they had a bit of free time it wasn't much and they were only able to get a few hours together over a week or so. One evening they'd managed an hour or so for fish and chips and a walk by the canal. Holding hands and chatting they'd strolled a while and he remembered vividly that they'd sheltered from a rainstorm under this very elder tree. The tree was growing in an allotment and some of the branches grew over onto the path. The arching branches created a scented natural shelter from the rain. The air had been heavy with the sweetness of the elderflower blossom and other flowers. As the rain poured down they'd pulled each other close and kissed and talked, sharing long glances and talking about when they could next see each other. Robbie smiled. Under this very tree had been the time he'd invited her round for a meal to his place. He pulled a rueful face at the memory – he'd almost ballsed stuff up that time too had it not been for Hathaway on the other end of the phone. He looked up at the elderflowers, some had gone over but there was still a sweet smell in the air. He sniffed at it, suddenly, he remembered something else. An idea came to him. Maybe, just maybe, he might be able to salvage the wreck of his promise to Laura of a special gift. His heart sank a bit – what he had in mind wasn't so special, but right now it was all he had.


	2. Anniversaries -Part 2

**AN: Pure unadulterated FLUFF ALERT. Sorry not sorry.**

**PS thank you all for reading and leaving your lovely reviews. I'm so glad that there is still an audience for our heroes.**

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Anniversaries - Part 2

In the forensic lab, Laura closed her locker shut before picking up her bag. She was done for the day and was looking forward to an evening and then a weekend with Robbie. That morning he had promised her a special evening and gift for their anniversary. She smiled. Knowing Robbie he would have left things to the last minute. She didn't care. As long as they spent the evening together she couldn't give two hoots about gifts. Despite this, she had a pretty impressive gift lined up for him. She checked her watch and saw it was spot on finishing time. He would be waiting for her in the car park. She smiled to herself as she thought of the gift she had in store for him. As she walked down the corridor to the exit, the smile turned to a grin. _Pack it in Hobson _she said to herself, but this just made her smile even more.

Out in the carpark she saw Robbie in his car. He was talking on the phone and gave her a wave when he saw her approach. She waved back, still smiling, and went up to the car and got in.

"Right, well, thanks anyway. Cheers. Bye" Robbie finished his conversation and turned to Laura as she got in the passenger seat. "Hello love!" he said rather exuberantly.

"Hello" she replied, cautiously, narrowing her eyes at his enthusiasm "Who was that?"

"Oh, nothing, um, just traffic requesting a meeting next week, some demonstration or other on the high street. How are you? Good day?"

This seemed to placate her and she closed the car door. She reached for the seatbelt; for a brief moment she paused, looking around. She looked towards Robbie with an incredulous and repulsed look on her face. "Robbie, what on earth is that smell?!"

"What smell?"

"Don't tell me you can't smell it- it's . . . _horrid_ what the hell is it?!"

_Shit_ thought Robbie. "I can't smell anything?" he said and he put the car's air conditioning on. He cursed to himself. Laura had the nose of a sniffer dog and could decipher all sorts of scents within seconds. He tried to distract her.

"So how was your day?"

"Not too bad, made headway on the Mitchel case, just waiting for the final forensic report, I've done what I can now though, it's all handed off until Monday."

"Good, good" Said Robbie. The air-con had kicked in.

"So I'm all yours" and she ran her hand up his thigh.

"Steady on" he said and smiled at her. _Phew_ he thought, that was a close one as he turned into their road.

Laura continued to chat about her day and Robbie listened and asked her things about a case he'd been working on. It was a usual routine for them but tonight as they went through the door of the house they both relaxed into the knowledge that it was a night off with the weekend to enjoy. In the hallway, Robbie took Laura's jacket off her and she secretly reveled, as she often did, in his old fashioned manners. She often teased him for being stuck in the past but this old-school chivalry of his was a guilty pleasure of hers.

"So, what have you got planned for tonight ? Should I dress up?" Her back was still turned from him as she asked the question.

"Yes absolutely" he winced. _Talk about making a bad situation worse._

"Exciting. I'm going for a shower. What time are we off out?" There was no response, She turned round to face him.

"Robbie?"

He took her hands in his and with a guilty almost schoolboy look on his face he spoke.

"Laura, I'm sorry. I haven't got anything lined up. I spent all afternoon ringing round to find somewhere to eat but everywhere's all booked up, even for later tonight. Some conference or symposium or something. I'm sorry. We'll have to eat in."

Laura laughed. She had half expected this and as before didn't care too much.

"What?"

"Nothing, don't worry, I don't mind" She squeezed his hands and smiled at the remorseful look on his face. The expression on his face, close to that of a naughty puppy didn't subside at her reassurance. Avoiding her eyes and with an even more apologetic look on his face he continued to talk

"Actually, not only have I _no_t got a meal booked, I haven't got you anything special either. I'm sorry. I just. . . I couldn't think what to get you. Will you take a rain check? I'm so sorry. Maybe I can take us away somewhere, I dunno maybe somewhere you've never been before, I know that's difficult, you've done loads of travelling. Anyway, I'm sorry; like I said, I just couldn't think of what to get you."

He sighed "You've got everything you want or need"

She smiled back at him and with their hands still clasped together she tugged him in towards her and pulled his hands behind her. He let go of them and grasped her hips and he pulled her into him.

Her hands went around his back and she stood on tiptoes and gave him a kiss. "You're right" She said. "I have got everything I want and need. Right here"

"Give over" He said smiling shyly at her. "You'll make me blush. Not to mention giving me a big head"

She raised her eyebrows and gave him a lewd smile

"Hey - you can pack that in, Dr. Hobson, you cheeky so and so. Bit early in the evening for that don't you think?" But he still pulled her in for another kiss.

"So what _are_ we going to eat?" Laura asked him when they finally pulled apart.

"Well, when I was in town I did get some of that pasta you like, from that deli. But you'll. . ." He paused midway through speaking and pulled a cross face, frowning at himself before continuing "For Pete's sake, you'll have to cook it, it always turns into soup when I do it. I'm so sorry, Laura, some anniversary celebration this is turning into"

She laughed and kissed him again "Sounds perfect to me. Let's eat soon, I'm starving. I'll just grab a quick shower"

"I'll put a pan of water on and open a bottle" said Robbie as she disappeared up the stairs with her bag.

Upstairs Laura showered quickly and then changed into a new outfit that she was going to wear if they had been going out for a meal. It was a little black dress that hugged her figure and although Robbie had seen it on the hanger he hadn't seen it on her. _Why not wear it?_ she thought with a smile.

Back downstairs, with the pan of water on the hob and the table set, Robbie was on the sofa reading the paper. Laura smiled as she came downstairs and saw he was looking at the sports supplement. _Perfect_. She thought.

She went up behind him and put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. She nuzzled her lips close to his ear. "Happy anniversary" she said. In her hand was a large purple envelope. Robbie put the paper down as she handed it to him.

"What's this?" He said, surprised as he looked at what was now in his hands.

"Open it and see"

He carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. He was speechless for a few seconds. He blinked, mouth open in shock. He looked down at what he'd taken out of the envelope.

Two tickets to the Men's Wimbledon Final.

"Bloody hell! Hobson! How did you wangle these!?"

Laura laughed at his evident thrill and surprise and kissed him again, still from behind him as he sat on the sofa. "Let's just say that an old friend owed me a _very_ big favour"

"Not that lass who's the sports physio? Jemima is it?" Robbie couldn't take his eyes off the two tickets in his hand.

"The very same"

"Bloody hell. I won't ask what it is you've got on her to warrant this"

"No, best you don't"

Robbie grinned and then looked at the tickets again.

"These, these are just amazing." He felt her smile against his cheek, clearly delighted at his excitement. He smiled back. He suddenly felt incredibly guilty and humbled at the same time "Love, these are fantastic, for me, but you don't really like tennis, are you sure you want to celebrate our anniversary this way?"

"No, I'm not that keen on tennis, but I'm not averse to spending the day with you whilst eating strawberries and drinking Pimm's or champagne, or both. Plus, I've also, as you say, _wangled_, a penthouse suite in a house in Wimbledon so we won't have to travel halfway across London in this heat"

"You're joking. How much did all this cost?"

"Not a penny, due to the massive favour that Jemima owed me. I did however donate the equivalent amount of money to that police benevolent charity you support."

Robbie felt his throat tighten with emotion at her revelation. The charity helped bereaved police families, not just those who had died through duty but all bereavement and all circumstances. It was the same charity that had helped him and the kids after Val had died. Robbie felt a familiar swell of emotion and love for Laura, one that he recognised, that he knew had been there from before they'd got together. Sometimes he was rendered speechless by the thought and care that she had for him. She'd done all this for him. He stood up, he needed to hug her and show her his gratitude where words failed him. He saw she had changed into a dress for dinner. He gave her a look that she recognised as one that he wore when she knew he was lost for words. She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. He adored it and he adored her.

"Come here, you" and he pulled her close, his voice was low with emotion and in his embrace he held her tightly against him "You're one in a million, did you know that?"

"Actually Robbie, a million's not that big a number these days" she gazed up at him with a cheeky expression on her face.

Robbie gave her one of his exasperated looks as he always did when she called him out.

"Alright well one in 7 billion then, you bloody pedant, will that do?"

"Yes, that'll do" she said

"Come here, give us a snog" he said with a chuckle.

He leant in to kiss her and she let her senses get lost in his lips and then, gently at first, and then with more persuasion, his mouth.

When Robbie broke the kiss he pulled her in for a hug, his lips were close to her ear and she felt them softly kiss her neck.

Squeezing her further into his embrace, he whispered "Y'know, I could just kiss you like that all night and not need anything else?" He kissed her neck again before the low tone of his voice sent another shiver of pleasure down her spine. "I'm glad we're not going out. It means I can get you out of that dress quicker. You look bloody gorgeous, do you know that?"

Laura smiled at his words "Mmm, I think I do, yes and you can, but could we eat first ? I'm starving, Robbie" Despite her plea he continued to kiss her neck but then relenting, planted a big noisy kiss on her cheek.

"Aye, come on then, the pan's on. Should be nearly up to boil, which is not the only thing" and with a final squeeze he let go of her with a low laugh and a smile.

Taking her hand he led her into the kitchen. He sighed to himself and cursed again at his lack of decent gift for her. Her gift only served (and he wryly noted the pun to himself) to make his gift to her even more paltry. Still, it was better than nothing.

As they entered the kitchen Laura saw Robbie had set the table and made a decent effort with it. He'd put out her favourite earthenware pasta dishes and a glass bowl full of her preferred salad leaves which he also must have bought. He'd also got a tub of his favourite nocellaria olives, tipped out onto a glazed olive dish that he'd brought with him when he moved in. She smiled and her heart melted a little at his efforts. She knew he'd be beating himself up over not getting them a place to eat that night but he'd taken time to make their simple meal as special as he could. There was even a lit candle even though it was still full sun outside and plenty of daylight left.

"Table looks lovely" she said to him with a smile.

"Of course" He said, then reaching to the right of him, behind a stack of her cookery books, he retrieved something that he'd obviously had hidden from view.

"Here" he said "There's just this that needs to go on the table"

She watched as carefully he handed her a small glass vase, similar in shape to an onion, which contained a single, pink rose bloom

Robbie watched as Laura took the vase from him and he saw a grin beam across her face.

"Robbie is this. . .?" She brought the rose up to her nose and sniffed "it is, isn't it? It's a Gertrude?"

"It is" He smiled at her. It was his turn to see the pure delight on her face.

"You remembered"

"I did"

Laura remembered, exactly a year ago, the canal-side walk they had taken. She fondly recalled the heavy downpour and how they had sheltered under the overhanging trees by the waterside. She remembered how giddy she'd felt, finally just being close to Robbie, protected from the summer rain while his arms had pulled her close. His voice in her ear telling her how much he was enjoying spending even the smallest amount of time with her. They had kissed and she had felt like a teenager again. The scents of the elderflower blossom and honeysuckle had surrounded them but there had also been another scent. Laura had noticed through the foliage a pink rose pushing its soft petals through the leaves. She'd shown it Robbie and told him it was her favourite rose, named after a horticulturist called Gertrude Jekyll. She'd told him it wasn't her favourite just for the intense scent alone, but also because when she'd been a little girl she remembered it growing in her great aunt's garden when she used to go and stay with her for holidays. Robbie had said it was a beautiful rose but that it wasn't as beautiful as she was and at first she'd mildly scoffed at him and said it wasn't true; but he had insisted, and she'd blushed at his words and they'd kissed again. Robbie, at the time, full of a sense of newfound love for her promised he would get a Gertrude Jekyll rose for her.

"Thank you" she said taking another sniff at the potent rose scent of the rose.

"Hang on, there's one more thing. Come with me" Robbie took her hand again and led her outside into the garden.

The midsummer sun was still high and fierce but in the garden there was a pleasant breeze and the air was full of summer scents. Robbie stopped by the log store and motioned to Laura to look by the side of it.

With a curious look on her face, Laura looked down. At the side of the log store, in a pot, was a Gertrude Jekyll rose bush, full of blooms like the one Robbie had just given her in the little vase.

Robbie watched as Laura bent down to look at the rose.

"I thought you might like it in the garden somewhere. I know you have it all set out, y know, the garden, all your plants and stuff, but there might be a space for it somewhere."

"Robbie. . . " She was a little lost for words now. He had said he'd not got her anything special, but he couldn't have presented her with anything more precious if he'd tried. She laughed to herself, knowing that he _had_ tried to get her something special.

"Robbie, it's wonderful. Thank you" She started to stand back up then saw something else, next to the rose bush.

"Robbie what's this?" She asked, with an amused look on her face. She started to laugh.

"That? erm, well, it's a bucket of shit. Horse shit to be precise"

"For the rose?"

"Yep. When I had the idea about trying to get one I went into the allotments, I thought maybe someone would know where I could get one. There was an old boy there I got talking to, I told him I was after a Gertrude Jekyll rose and he gave me the name of a rose nursery in Boars Hill where he said I'd get one. He insisted I took it and I didn't have the heart to refuse. He said it needs to rot down or something."

"Is this what made the car stink?"

"Yes. I just had time to get it all back here before coming to pick you up. It stank worse before you got in believe me."

"Anyway I suppose you could say it's probably symbolic; y'know all the crap that accompanies me." He smiled but it was with a sigh "I've given you the runaround a few times, at work, at home. I can be too quick to come to conclusions sometimes when I get the bit between my teeth."

Laura laughed but shook her head at his words. She put her arms up and over his shoulders and smiled at him

"If that's the case then half of it's my crap too"

"I don't think so"

She nodded. "I've given _you _the runaround too"

"No you haven't"

"Come on, you know I have. I lose my rag pretty quick. I've brought work home too. And you were there for me when I did. So half of that's mine" She nodded towards the bucket.

"Ok, if you insist. I suppose you can't have the good times without a bit of crap along the way."

"I wouldn't change a single thing since we've been together, Robbie." They gazed at each other, taking in the weight of her sentiment.

"I'll try and remember that next time you're bollocking me or, wait, what is it they say now? Tearing me a new one?"

She laughed. "Very good, see you're not all stuck in the past like everyone says you are"

"No, I'm not. And I wouldn't change anything either"

Robbie looked down tenderly at Laura, before kissing her. "Come on, Hobson, let's go and have our anniversary dinner". Above the garden, the swifts screamed in the summer blue of the sky and the heady scent of the roses and the earthy but honest scent of the manure filled the air as hand in hand they both went back into the house.

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**There is a bonus M chapter for this story, find it on my profile page, it's called "Beneath The Rose" thanks for reading, your reviews and messages help fuel my muse, so big thanks to all those who take time to get in touch or leave a review :)  
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	3. St Valentines

**AN: It's Valentine's day and Laura is on call . . . Pure (un)necessary _Robson Domesticus_ plotless fluff**

**PS Thanks all for continuing to read my witterings. I had to take a break from writing chapter 12 of The Way Young Lovers Do, but I'm back onto it now. Thanks and happy valentines ML x**

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It was 6PM in the evening on St Valentine's day. It had just got dark but the night sky was a clear deep blue, almost purple, as the sun's last bit of radiation left the atmosphere in the western horizon. There had been snow flurries all day mixed with freezing cold air and bright sunshine and as darkness fell, the clouds were thickening in-between the crystal clear patches of dark sapphire sky.

Laura Hobson was busy in the kitchen. On the countertop there was fresh rump steak, tomatoes, salad leaves and crusty bread. There was butter and oil to fry the steak and a big black griddle pan sat on the hob, poised for service. Next to it all was a bottle of good red wine, the sort that needed drinking in one go. Laura checked her watch. It was just past 6. Only 30 minutes to go before the cut off time for her call out duty.

So far, so good. She was tempted to open the wine but she wasn't stupid. She knew better than anyone that suspicious deaths didn't run perfectly in schedule with her own plans, especially on special occasions.

She heard soft footsteps. Robbie appeared from the living room and padded into the kitchen area to where Laura was now digging about in the cutlery drawer.

"How do I look?" He asked, "Not too dark?"

Laura went up to him, snaking her arms around his back. He was wearing a new black shirt and jeans that she had bought for him as a Valentine's gift.

She reached up on tip-toes to kiss him

"Mmm…" he said, kissing her back. "You like your men in black then eh?"

"I like _my_ man in black"

"How're we doing for time? Think we'll do it?"

"No. Best to think we won't."

"Ten quid says we will, there's not long now, what, 20 minutes or so?"

She smiled raising an eyebrow at his optimism. She loved how recently his outlook had shifted back to how she remembered it; glass half full and a relaxed face, often with a smile for others and always with one for her.

"What have you got lined up for us then?" he said looking over her shoulder at the provisions laid out

"A nice piece of rump steak"

"Oh, just the ticket that is, love" said Robbie, rubbing his hands up her back with enthusiasm as he eyed the inch-thick slabs of steak on the countertop.

"I know it's one of your favourites" Laura said, her hands alsostarting to wander up his back. "Plus if I do have to go we can put it all back in the fridge without harm and if that is the case, there's quiche in the fridge for you"

Robbie raised his eyebrows and turned to Laura "Come here, you; you little star" and he pulled her closer into a big hug, nuzzling his nose into her hair.

"You look after me proud, you do" he said softly into her ear. "A new set of clothes and a contingency plan for tea, eh? What more could a man want?"

Smiling Laura pulled back from him a little and looked up into his eyes

"I can probably think of a few things" she said, raising an eyebrow.

Her hands were now on his lower back, her fingers tracing just below his belt with a touch that made his breath quicken slightly and he leant in to kiss her again with a soft laugh at her words. It was early in the evening but her kiss held a promise about the night to come and Robbie found himself getting momentarily lost in their closeness, forgetting for a while that she was still on call.

Suddenly there was a buzz and a chirping noise from Laura's pocket

They pulled away from the kiss

"Bloody hell, you've got to be joking" said Robbie

Laura pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Looks like you owe me a tenner" she said and she answered the call to dispatch.

Robbie sighed. Even though they were both seasoned to the call of duty, when it disrupted even loose plans it always came as a disappointment. He listened to Laura take details from the call and frowned to himself as he thought of how his best laid plans for a romantic Valentine's night were now completely scuppered.

"I imagine it's going to be a long one." Laura said as she ended the call. "We'll have to move valentines to tomorrow, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, Robbie."

"Hey it's not your fault. We're not strangers to it all. Never mind eh? All this can wait 24 hours. Why don't you get your kit and I'll get you your water bottle"

"Thanks, can you grab me a packet of those oat biscuits that are next to the fridge too? they'll keep me going for a while" she said as she headed off through the kitchen and upstairs to collect her cases and bags.

A few minutes later and Robbie met her in the hallway. He handed her a brown paper bag containing the oat biscuits and a grey slim thermos water bottle.

"Thanks" she said with a resigned smile, dropping the bag and the bottle into her bag before zipping up her jacket. "I'll see you in the morning. don't wait up."

"Ok love, well take care eh?"

"will do" and she smiled warmly at him, pulling her scarf around her neck to ward off the cold night air she was about to head out into.

He leant forward, his hands cupping her face. She was warm and soft and he silently cursed the callout again.

"I'll save you some quiche, but make sure you eat those biscuits, won't you? and I put a satsuma in there too" he said, after giving her a kiss

"What more could a girl want on a cold Valentine's night?" She said with a smirk

"I'll see you when you get back" he said, smiling back at her and ignoring her instructions to not wait up.

And then she was gone, the door closing behind her and the freezing air of the night briefly entering the house. Robbie sighed. Valentine's night would, for the most part, have to wait. He went into the kitchen and put the steaks back into the fridge and took out the homemade quiche that Laura had said was in there for him. It looked good and he smiled to himself. She really did look after him. He frowned. It was a shame that the night hadn't turned out exactly as he'd planned. He accepted that sometimes it was good to be flexible, but tonight was St Valentine's and some things just wouldn't do on any other night.

Robbie ate his supper, washed the pots and then sank down on the sofa with a beer. There was a football match on telly he could watch and actually quite a crucial one for his team. That wouldn't have gone down well with Laura he thought with a wry smile so at least he had that out of the evening. As he idly watched the build up to the match he found himself thinking about all the Valentine's days of his past; When he'd been a lad and had kissed a girl he liked at school, as a teenager when he and his friends had been trying to woo the lower 6th, and all the Valentine's days and evenings spent with Val, and the ones he'd had to abandon to a case or a late night working. A few times in the past he'd probably spent some of the Valentine's nights actually with Laura on a case or in the lab. He smiled at the irony of the situation.

He had desperately wanted to spend the evening with her. She deserved it. Recently he'd been a bit off kilter with things. After a few months of retirement he'd found himself a bit restless and despite Laura's support he'd not fully disclosed exactly how he felt to her. He didn't want to admit that he missed working, as far as she knew he was enjoying his retirement, And he was; to a point. He just felt frustrated sometimes and he'd been a bit prickly with Laura because of it. She'd chided him but tolerated his grumpiness well and he felt bad about that. He didn't want to be a miserable old sod but not working had hit him for six, despite his new life with Laura. He'd wanted to give her a proper romantic night in, an apology of sorts, but her being on call had dictated that things might not turn out as they'd planned and, almost inevitably, the call from dispatch had come right on cue.

At least, he thought to himself, he'd been able to give her a gift earlier in the day as she'd been mainly working from home. Laura wasn't easy to buy for. More to the point, Robbie felt he struggled to buy things for her, doubting himself at every turn. It was mainly down to the fact that Laura was more of an experience seeker rather than someone struck with a desire to possess material things. It was easy to take her out for meals or to the theatre. She was more than happy with a romantic walk and a pub lunch somewhere, which was something they did often. But Robbie's sentiments sometimes dwelt in the material and at times he longed to buy her things that he hoped she would love, tokens to show her how he felt about her. It was an easier way to show her how he felt. He loved her but still he hadn't really told in so many words. It was the last hurdle he couldn't seem to get over. But he did love her, adored her, and he'd not quite come to accept how much he needed her in his life. He'd not often told Val how much he loved her. It had all gone without saying. It was the same with Laura but at least with Val they'd been married so of course they both knew they loved each other because there was the proof, in their wedding rings. Despite this he'd sometimes taken Val's love for granted. It was something he'd felt horrendously guilty about for a long time after she died. He hoped it wasn't something he would do with Laura. With her he'd been given a second chance at love.

The match started and his attention was diverted back to the football. After ten minutes Newcastle was 2 nil up. He raised his eyebrows. Maybe the evening would turn out alright after all.

At the other side of town, in the freezing cold air, Laura arrived at the crime scene and quickly saw that it would be a long night. Not just at the scene but back in the lab the paperwork would take a bit of time too. There were multiple victims. She briefed her team and then set to work.

On the sofa back at their home Robbie watched as another goal was scored by Newcastle. He almost threw his beer bottle in the air in excitement and a spurt of the foamy head gushed out over the lip of the bottle and splashed onto his new shirt.

_Bugger_ he thought. A new shirt and already it needed a wash. Laura would give him a bollocking for that. He laughed softly to himself. Just the thought of the domesticity of the situation made his heart swell in affection for her, for them both. That morning Laura had given him a card with a painting of the Northumbrian coast along with the jeans and shirts she'd bought him. He was chuffed to bits with them, he wasn't one for buying clothes, Val had always done it on his behalf and it was a relief when one day Laura asked him if he wanted anything from town when she was off shopping. He'd said maybe he needed a new jumper and some trousers and she'd returned with practically a new wardrobe for him.

In return for the clothes he had given her a bottle of her favourite cologne, an expensive one that she didn't buy often but that she loved to use at work because it was the only thing that seemed to get rid of the smell of the morgue. Robbie loved the scent of it too because it reminded him purely of her. It had been a familiar fragrance to him for years. There'd been times when he'd caught a whiff of it in the corridors at the station and had known she was around before he'd even seen her and he recalled when they'd first kissed, allowing himself to get lost in the scent, knowing it was the start of something, and that he could allow himself to freely abandon his senses to her.

Laura was delighted with the cologne. She hadn't told him she already had another full bottle stored in her underwear drawer, but it didn't matter. She knew he struggled to buy her things and had told him countless times not to worry about buying her gifts. She knew he liked the reassurance of a calendar event and would take full advantage to buy her a gift and she knew it was his way of expressing his feelings to her. It was easier for him that way. Laura knew that Robbie loved her and that his lack of telling her was due to complex reasons. She didn't worry too much. She was old enough and wise enough to read between the lines. She didn't really care about gifts or even the finer details of semantics. More important to her was that Robbie was there for her in her life. Next to her in bed when she awoke in the morning and last thing at night. It meant more to her that they ate together, watched rubbish telly together and discussed their work and all other matters easily with humour, understanding and had only been living together for a few months but already she was thinking ahead to the time when she could wind down her career and they could spend the rest of their lives together, devoid of work and the stresses it entailed.

There had been snow showers all day and another set in as Laura headed to one of the white cube tents where one of the victims lay. The snowflakes whipped round her face and as she set to work with a resigned sigh she thought of Robbie and the warm stove back at their home. She pressed on with the job at hand and after another 3 hours or so she was more or less done and headed back to the lab. She was freezing cold. As she drove through the streets of Oxford, she passed people out on the town, all enjoying the festivities of the night. It felt foolish, she thought, but she was more than a little disappointed to have missed her and Robbie's first Valentines night together. Despite this, Laura knew that Robbie had been eyeing up a football match and although she had desperately wanted to spend the evening with him, she knew he would enjoy watching the match in her absence.

She knew he would be awake for her when she got back, and if not, he would wake up if he got the chance. He liked to know she was safe and sound and back home. She loved him for it. It had become an important part of their lives together, knowing she could chat to him about work related issues, knowing that he worried about her. Since living together, they both realised that sometimes it was good to bring their work home with them. After his retirement Robbie began to look forward to her telling him about the cases she was working on and on occasion he had helped with a few oddities that had cropped up. _Once a copper. . ._ she thought.

Back at the morgue Laura worked through her duties with her usual impeccable diligence. At around 10.30 one of her students asked if she wanted anything from the canteen and Laura realised she'd not eaten anything and suddenly felt famished. It was all too easy to forget to eat when on a case. She declined the offer from her student but instead took a break and made herself a cup of tea with the kettle she kept in her office. Sitting back down at her desk She stretched her back, feeling it crackle with displaced fluid. She'd spent too long in front of the computer screen as usual. She stretched her arms up and out and then reached down into her bag for the paper bag that Robbie had given to her earlier.

She opened the paper bag to retrieve the oat biscuits. Despite trying to force herself to take a break she continued to read something on her laptop screen and her fingers dug into the bag, searching for the packet of biscuits. She felt the crispy cellophane wrapper of the biscuits and the soft shiny skin of the satsuma but then felt something else. A flat thin shape and then a smaller object, about the size of a big piece of fudge. Frowning with curiosity and a little confusion Laura pulled out the mystery contents of the bag onto her desk.

There was a small square envelope and an even smaller square box. The envelope was sealed and Laura turned it over. _Laura_ was written on the front. _Robbie_ she thought. And her stomach took a little flip as she realised what he had done.

She opened the small square box to find a pair of earrings. She recognised them as ones she'd seen with Robbie a few weeks earlier when they'd been shopping in Oxford and passed a jewelers. The earrings were small flat silver discs with brushed gold across them and she had pointed them out at the time. She hadn't been dropping hints, she'd just liked them and now she felt touched that Robbie had taken notice of her interest.

Her attentions next turned to the card. Tearing open the flap she took it out of the envelope. On the front of the card was an illustration of a very sweet and very cuddly hedgehog. Surrounded by flowers and a watering can, the hedgehog was wearing a pair of wellies and holding a big bunch of red roses.

_To My Valentine_ it said above the hedgehog. Laura opened the card. Inside it said, in the same font as the front, _thank you for loving my prickles_ and underneath, in handwriting that she recognised straight away, _all my love Robbie_.

Laura felt her throat tighten with emotion. She wasn't one for sentiment but something about the card made her heart melt. She'd never received such a simple and genuine surprise like this in all the Valentines trysts she'd ever had. In truth, she'd not felt like this since she was a teenager and in love for the first time.

She smiled again, her heart felt full of love. Still looking at the sweet hedgehog on the card she ate her biscuits and the satsuma and then finished up her work before heading home in the freezing night air.

Not long later, Laura let herself into the house and quietly dumped her bags and cases at the door before locking it and taking her coat and scarf off. Robbie had obviously gone up to bed, the stove was going out and the lights were off, save for the one he'd left on for her in the hallway. She made her way upstairs, softly treading along the steps and avoiding the loose floorboards she knew made a creak. As she entered the bedroom she could see Robbie in bed, back to the door, his body rising and falling softly in slumber. She could also hear him snoring slightly. She smiled. She really wanted to wake him and tell him she'd found his gift and card but it was getting late and he was clearly zonked out. She quickly undressed in the ensuite and changed into a nightshirt, cleaned and washed her face, brushed her teeth and then turning out the light in the bathroom, as quietly as she could, got into bed beside Robbie. She slowly snuck up behind him and he stirred slightly. _Damn _she thought. She had tried to be quiet and stealthy in getting under the duvet but he started to stir again so she gave up and gently put her arms around him.

"Oh, hello love" he said, his voice gruff with sleep, his legs stretching slightly as he woke up

"I've woken you up, I'm sorry" She said quietly to his back

"Ah. . . no I was awake" He said, his voice still deep and syrupy with sleep

"No you weren't" She said with a soft chiding laugh

He gave a sleepy chuckle back. He placed his hands over hers that had found their way round his back and onto his chest.

"Oh, you're cold love" he said feeling her fingers ice cold. He was more awake now, but still felt relaxed and warm from recent sleep and he turned to face her and pulled her close into a big hug, his arms wrapping round her.

"Come here for a cuddle and get warm, are you alright?" His voice was quiet and gravelly and he nuzzled his nose into her hair which was still cold from the night outside.

"I'm bloody freezing." She said, settling into his arms, warming her hands on his chest. "I'm also, _very_ much in love with my prickly Valentine"

Robbie smiled "Oh good. You found them then? That's a relief. I was worried I might have to make a tour of all the bins in Oxford if you'd got to the biscuits and the satsuma first." She laughed softly and caressed his chest as he pulled her closer in an effort to warm her up.

"And the earrings. . ." He continued, gently rubbing her back, "they're the ones you liked?"

"They are, I love them, thank you. You didn't have to get me anything else though, the cologne was enough"

"Oh, well, I can take them back if you like"

"No!" she said pinching him gently on his chest

"Ow!" He exclaimed, both of them laughing at the exchange.

"Thank you, Robbie, they're lovely."

"Only the best for my Canny Lass." And he smiled down at her.

"Robbie" she said, gazing back at him. She didn't have a pet name for him. It didn't seem necessary, just her saying his name in a way reserved only for him was enough.

He kissed her softly on the lips. She was warming up now but he continued to rub her back.

"How did the football go?" She asked

"How did you know I was watching that?"

"I'm not an idiot, Robbie; I knew it was on the radar. To be honest it made going on the call out a little easier."

"Well, we lost 6 – 3"

Laura laughed softly

"It's not funny, it was a crucial game"

"I'm sorry" She said, still smirking and he kissed her again, feeling her smile and then a laugh under her breath

"What?" He said in response and he pulled away to look at her

"I can feel your prickles" She said, and in response he gently rubbed his cheek against hers. His day-old stubble was grown just enough to be felt as he continued to kiss her and their kiss became deeper as she had hoped it would, despite his sleepy demeanour.

"Are you warming up now?" He asked after a few more kisses and cuddles

"Very much so" she said

"I'm sorry I didn't get to give you the earrings over a Valentines dinner, love. I didn't want to save them for tomorrow, it didn't seem right."

"It was a perfect way to get them, Robbie. It made my day"

"I don't know about that"

"Well it did."

"I'm sorry about the card"

"Why?"

"Well, it was a bit daft, I mean it's not very sophisticated, like yours. It just seemed to say what I needed to tell you"

"I loved it Robbie"

"It's ok, you don't need to lie"

"But it's true. It made me feel like a teenager again. In love"

Robbie raised his eyebrows and gazed down at her. He wanted to tell her he loved her but still it felt too much. He felt if he told her, he would burst into tears of emotion and not stop crying for a week. Laura looked at him. She knew what he was thinking and still it didn't matter to her that he couldn't tell her. In a very odd way it seemed to mean more that he couldn't say it. She smiled as she looked at his face, slightly troubled despite being relaxed with the lateness of the hour. She smoothed her hand tenderly over his chest.

"Are you ok? What you said about being prickly. You have been a bit grumpy of late" She said softly

"I know. I'm still getting used to not being at work, I think." He sighed heavily at the disclosure "I'm sorry love"

"You don't need to be sorry. You must still talk to me, you know, don't stop now that we're together. You need to tell me things if they're getting you down, Robbie"

"I know. Sometimes I don't realise things are bothering me until it's too late. You seem to know more about how I feel than I actually do" and he looked down at her, seeing her smile back at his words, her eyes full of affection.

"Yes, I do" She said

"Is, is that ok?"

"Yes, it's ok"

And he nodded, and smiling, gently rubbed his prickles on her cheek and then kissed her.


End file.
